Resident Minister
Rev. Blayne Higa
Rev. Blayne Higa was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii and is a graduate of Waiakea High School.
He holds a Master of Divinity from the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, California with a focus on Shin Buddhist ministry and chaplaincy. He previously served as Assisting Minister of the Moiliili Hongwanji Buddhist Temple and as Assistant Chaplain for the Pacific Buddhist Academy in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Before entering the ministry, he spent over 17 years working in state government and non-profit fundraising. He received a Master of Public Administration as well as a Certificate in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.
He is the Co-Chair of the Committee on Social Concerns for the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii. A past President of the Moiliili Hongwanji Board of Directors and former First Vice President of the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii. He also previously served on the Advisory Council for Project Dana and on the Board of The Interfaith Alliance Hawaii.
Rev. Blayne received Tokudo ordination in 2012 and Kyoshi certification in 2018 from the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha.
Linda Nagai
Linda Nagai is the President of the Kona Hongwanji Buddhist Temple Board of Directors. Born and raised in Kona, Hawaiʻi, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Human Relations in Organizations from the University of Hawaiʻi. She is currently pursuing a Master’s Certificate in Jodo Shinshu Studies through the Institute of Buddhist Studies. In 2023, Linda received her Tokudo ordination from the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha in Kyoto, Japan. She also serves as President of the Kona Hongwanji Buddhist Temple’s Buddhist Women’s Association and as Chair of the 18th World Buddhist Women’s Convention, which will be held in Hawaiʻi in 2027.
Kyodan
The Kyodan (Board of Directors) is the main governing body of each Hongwanji temple. They are responsible for the day to day operations of the temple. The Kona Hongwanji Kyodan was created with the establishment of the Hongwanji in Kona around 1897. The Kyodan holds board meetings on every second Wednesday of every even month.
If you want to contact any board member please feel free to call the main temple office at: (808) 323-2993
